Deep State Times

[JackLuis]

The CIA and Me: How I Learned Not to Love Big Brother

In the wake of the 2001 terrorist attacks, Washington pursued its elusive enemies across the landscapes of Asia and Africa, thanks in part to a massive expansion of its intelligence infrastructure, particularly of the emerging technologies for digital surveillance, agile drones, and biometric identification. In 2010, almost a decade into this secret war with its voracious appetite for information, the Washington Post reported that the national security state had swelled into a “fourth branch” of the federal government — with 854,000 vetted officials, 263 security organizations, and over 3,000 intelligence units, issuing 50,000 special reports every year.

Though stunning, these statistics only skimmed the visible surface of what had become history’s largest and most lethal clandestine apparatus. According to classified documents that Edward Snowden leaked in 2013, the nation’s 16 intelligence agencies alone had 107,035 employees and a combined “black budget” of $52.6 billion, the equivalent of 10% percent of the vast defense budget.

By sweeping the skies and probing the worldwide web’s undersea cables, the National Security Agency (NSA) could surgically penetrate the confidential communications of just about any leader on the planet, while simultaneously sweeping up billions of ordinary messages. For its classified missions, the CIA had access to the Pentagon’s Special Operations Command, with 69,000 elite troops (Rangers, SEALs, Air Commandos) and their agile arsenal. In addition to this formidable paramilitary capacity, the CIA operated 30 Predator and Reaper drones responsible for more than 3,000 deaths in Pakistan and Yemen.

While Trump hold the nations attention, we still have to be aware of the danger of the Deep State that lurks in the dark.

 

[sr71plt]

Ironically, it is very likely this deep state that's going to end up preserving the union and getting rid of Trump.

 

[DrDelirium]

Ironically, it is very likely this deep state that's going to end up preserving the union and getting rid of Trump.

Is there a credible secessionist movement? I suspect there might be after the deep state gets rid of Trump.

 

[phrodeau]

Someone needs to protect our country from the real threats, instead of the ones from Trump's imagination.

 

[DrDelirium]

Someone needs to protect our country from the real threats, instead of the ones from Trump's imagination.

Indeed. We need protection from the banksters, the National Security State and the war mongering neocons.

 

[sr71plt]

Is there a credible secessionist movement? I suspect there might be after the deep state gets rid of Trump.

Oh, no, I don't think so.

 

[Hypoxia]

Someone needs to protect our country from the real threats, instead of the ones from Trump's imagination.

Be careful what you wish for. Remember the missile gap? The CIA and KGB faking their threat assessments in order to bolster their budgets and power? But maybe current USA intel agencies can act as bulwarks against fantastic devastations. Oblivion won't serve their interests. Can they get a nice clean hit on Tromp?

 

[phrodeau]

Be careful what you wish for. Remember the missile gap? The CIA and KGB faking their threat assessments in order to bolster their budgets and power? But maybe current USA intel agencies can act as bulwarks against fantastic devastations. Oblivion won't serve their interests. Can they get a nice clean hit on Tromp?

Remember the accurate assessments of Iraq's lack of WMD's that the Bush admin chose to ignore?

 

[DrDelirium]

Remember the accurate assessments of Iraq's lack of WMD's that the Bush admin chose to ignore?

Do you remember how all the spooks came out of the closet, went public with their findings and resigned in protest of neocon warmonger? Me either.

 

[JackLuis]

Do you remember how the MSM was so opposed to War and Destruction that they pilloried Dick Cheney for avocation of preemptive war?

Me either!